Regarding David Gest's Michael Jackson: Life of an Icon
About this "documentary" I must speak.
I located and watched this on YouTube before deciding whether to buy it. Needless to say, I'm NOT going to buy it.
I actually had trouble sleeping last night after viewing this, it just disturbed me and caused me such pain. It is extremely exploitative of Michael. Like ripping yet another fresh metaphoric wound into this sweet, private man's mind-body-soul. And into the human psyche of anyone watching it who cares about Michael, the human being.
First part was a bit too long, but that was the part I enjoyed. Because the people being interviewed were not grinding axes into Michael's bones or betraying any confidences.
But then, in a most obvious, awkward transition, the piece verges into Tabloid Junkie-land. There is a segment with flashes of "different faces" of Michael that reminded me of the trash media's "morphing faces" of Michael which they LOVE(D) to play over and over. But what made my heart just ache and my stomach turn were the questionable-at-best personas whom Gest decided to "represent" Michael Jackson. Names such as Cascio, Taraborrelli, DiLeo, even Gest himself.
Old saying: "With friends like these, who needs enemies"...
1.) Cascio out-and-out contradicts himself saying on night of MSG in 2001, he found MJ asleep in NYC hotel room, supposedly asked him, "what have you taken" to which Michael was supposed to have said "I took a shot of Demerol, my back is really hurting".. Yet, Cascio and his whole family told freakin'-Oprah on her show that they had NEVER seen Michael on ANY KIND of drugs WHATSOEVER.
Cascio speaks of Michael in a most contemptuous, condescending manner that broke my heart and ENRAGED me at the same time. And then there is the hatchet job he did on Elizabeth Taylor. You can see how Gest edited that segment in a particularly hateful manner against Liz. Do we really believe Michael would have wanted this? In their scurrilous attempt to cast Elizabeth Taylor as a false-friend to Michael, they are ultimately casting a glaring light onto themselves.
2.) Taraborrelli. Don't get me started. Another "wanna-be insider" in Michael Jackson's life. Or, more accurately, NOT in his life. Never read his MJ "bio", never will. Only a few excerpts from it online, that was more than ENOUGH for me to get this guy's number. He's another media whore living off MJ. In Gest's film, Taraborrelli props up LMP as "honest" when we've all seen her doing the media circuit for years lying on Michael. Granted Taraborrelli is saying this in the context of LM saying that her and Michael's marriage was real ... but to say she is "an honest person" is a laughable, upside-down, INACCURATE premise.
So they (Taraborrelli, Cascio, Gest) shamelessly go after and vilify Elizabeth Taylor, Jermaine, and (predictably) La Toya ... but LM, she's "honest". No she's just cut from the same mold as them, and aggressors always protect/camouflage their own kind.
Like Cascio, Taraborrelli takes a certain glee in speaking of Michael in a condescending, dehumanizing manner. These sycophants know how to straddle the line between saying "good" things about Michael and then turning around in the next breathe and taking a cruel stab at him. Twisting and distorting. Day is night, night is day. Down is up, up is down. Dehumanizing. Character assassinating. Sell-Outs. Predators. Sad.
All I can say is to ask yourself what you would do in that situation. Would you protect Michael or prostitute him? Where's the TRUE LOVE from these predators? Where's their ethics, their conscience? Exploitation ridiculously propped up as "honesty". Why dig in the dirt when there's SO MUCH MICHAEL LIGHT & LOVE to reflect upon?
The inhumanity makes me heart sick.
The fact that Gest managed to get Katherine, Tito, Rebbie, Mesereau and Yu to participate, only to use them as peripheral afterthoughts - as a means of trying to legitimize his cheesy flick - is unfortunate.
I wish that I could keep just the first half of this film, as there are some great video moments and still photos.
I also feel Gest does a good job of defending Michael Jackson through the allegations and trial, showing Sneddon for the wicked, vindictive hatemonger he SOOOOO IS!!!!!! I'll give Gest that credit.
But unfortunately..
The film is a mess. It's a bias, choppy, sensational exploit.
In short, the film is as schizophrenic as I believe Gest is, himself.
Footnote: Notice at the UK Premiere Q&A of Gest's film that Cascio and Taraborrelli are nowhere to be found. Rather it is the respected and dignified likes of Katherine, Rebbie, Tito, Mesereau, Yu and some Motown legends whom Gest chooses to use once again, and flaunt on his big night.
... I love you, Michael Joe Jackson. Bless your sweet, loving, generous, trusting, magical soul ...
